Christendom

• Christiandom, Christdom

From Middle English cristendom, cristendome, from Old English cristendōm, equivalent to Christen +‎ -dom.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪsn̩dəm/

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Christendom (countable and uncountable, plural Christendoms)

1. The Christian world; Christ's Church on Earth. [from 14th c.]
   • 1670, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC:

     The Arian doctrine which then divided Christendom.

   • 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Aphorisms on that which is indeed spiritual religion”, in Aids to Reflection‎, page 184:

     The result is contained in the fact of a wide and still widening Christendom.

   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 503:

     Wessex was facing new barbarians, apparently intent on destroying everything that Christendom meant for England.

2. (now rare) The state of being a (devout) Christian; Christian belief or faith. [from 9th c.]
   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 11, column 2:

     By my Chriſtendome, So I were out of priſon, and kept Sheepe, I ſhould be as merry as the day is long.

   • 1643, Jeremy Taylor, Of the Sacred Order and Offices of Epiſcopacy […] ‎, R. Royſton, page 101:

     […] and yet cannot be denied that ſo it ought to be, by any man that would not have his Chriſtendome ſuſpected.

   • 2015 March 12 [1934], Kenneth Pickthorn, Early Tudor Government‎, volume 2, Cambridge University Press, page 137:

     Especially about law and its obligatory force was Cromwell's head clear, making clearer distinctions than Wolsey with his conscience or More with his Christendom.

3. (obsolete) The name received at baptism; any name or appellation.
   • 1592, Thomas Nash[e], Pierce Penilesse His Supplication to the Deuill. […], London: […] [John Charlewood for] Richard Ihones, […], →OCLC; republished as J[ohn] Payne Collier, editor, Pierce Penniless’s Supplication to the Devil. […], London: […] [Frederic Shoberl, Jun.] for the Shakespeare Society, 1842, →OCLC, page 233:

     […] but for an Author to renounce his Chriſtendome to write in his owne commendation, to refuſe the name which his Godfathers and Godmothers gaue him in his baptiſme , and call himſelfe a wellwiller to both the writers […]

   • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 231, column 2:

     His faith, his ſweet diſaſter: with a world
     Of pretty fond adoptious chriſtendomes
     That blinking Cupid goſſips.

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